"Ah, it's nothing. I just went for a swim."

"A swim?"

"Yeah."

"In this season?"

"I usually run hot."

"...Starting tonight, I'll have the heat to your room turned off."

"It's cold at night."

"......"

Rube clicked his tongue under his breath.

Camilla had caught cold easily since she was young.

The same person who wouldn't allow the stove to be turned off day or night until early summer now says she went swimming in this season?

"I said I was looking for something."

Under Rube's unrelenting, doubtful gaze, Camilla finally let out a small sigh and yielded the truth. It wasn't something that needed hiding anyway.

"What were you trying to find?"

"...!"

At that moment, a familiar voice cut into the two people's conversation. Calm, but weighty. It was Ludville.

She ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ hadn't noticed when he'd arrived; he was watching Camilla steadily.

"That is..."

Camilla hesitated to answer.

Ludville was still a Sorpel, but even so—it was the Guardian's egg... Shouldn't the first person to know be Duke Sorpel?

As she wavered a moment, Ludville, catching on, shook his head.

"Go in."

"Sorry?"

He pointed to the study.

"Weren't you here to see Father?"

"I was, but..."

Camilla glanced sidelong at the study door.

'It's better to come back another time, right?'

Delivering the Guardian's egg in front of someone else—an outsider at that, the Duke of Jevillan—didn't seem right.

"I'll just come back later."

"No, my lady. It's fine—please go in. In fact, the Duke of Jevillan said he wished to see you."

"Me?"

Camilla, who had been about to turn away, tilted her head at Butler Rube's words. He ignored me every time—why does he suddenly want to see me?

Knock, knock.

Rube rapped lightly on the door first and stepped inside. Camilla and Ludville followed quietly after him.

[So you finally came!]

"......"

The first to greet Camilla as she entered the study was neither Duke Sorpel nor the Duke of Jevillan, but Jeti, the Red Eagle Guardian.

Apparently, it wasn't in a summoned state; no one was giving their gaze to Jeti as it lifted into flight.

[Hm?]

Jeti, which had been winging toward her, halted for an instant.

[Ho.]

The eagle's red eyes went to Camilla's waist. It noticed at once the presence of the small egg resting in her pocket.

"Come in."

"Yes, Father."

"We meet again."

"Hello."

Camilla had even less idea what to make of the Duke of Jevillan acknowledging her first. What's with him?

Vvvvvvmmm—

"Hm?"

Just then a strange sound began to rise.

As if the air were being torn, the faces of those exchanging greetings hardened all at once.

"...!"

No one reacted more sharply than Duke Sorpel. The source of the sound was the pendant hanging at his neck.

A pendant set with a white stone. The pendant that had never reacted even once, though he had longed for it so desperately, was now crying out.

Vvvvvmmm—!

As if it had found its match, bright light burst from the stone set in the pendant and pointed to a single spot.

"Why is this...!"

As they turned their eyes to follow that light, the faces of those present were washed with shock.

Because the place the light was aimed at was exactly where Camilla stood.

"......"

Camilla, seeing for the first time the pendant that awakened a Guardian's egg, was also a little taken aback.

She knew it reacted when the Guardian's egg was nearby, but she hadn't expected to be so unmistakably indicated by a beam of light.

Meeting the eyes filled with bafflement and shock, Camilla took the Guardian's egg from her pocket and set it down on the table.

Vvvvmmm— vvvmmm—!

From the egg as well came a similar hum with a fine vibration, answering the pendant.

[At last...!] 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Hersel had appeared at some point; with a look of deep emotion, he gazed at the Guardian's egg as it shone.

He wasn't the only one.

"Ca—Camilla, is that, by any chance...!"

Who would have thought to see Duke Sorpel himself like that.

"Yes, it's the Guardian's egg."

At her answer, startled gasps burst from all sides.

They had wondered and wondered, but could that truly be a Guardian's egg!

With trembling hands, Duke Sorpel brought his pendant toward the Guardian's egg.

Everyone in the room stilled even their breath as they watched, eyes taut with tension.

Vvvvvvmmm!

As the pendant approached, the hum flowing from the egg grew stronger.

And then—

Fwooom!

Radiant light filled the room in an instant, and the glare made their eyes clamp shut of their own accord.

After how long, they couldn't say; as they felt the light ebb, they slowly opened their eyes.

And then, something that hadn't been there a moment ago entered their sight.

"Is that..."

The White Tiger.

The Guardian that symbolized House Sorpel.

The White Tiger's cry deafens foes, and with a single step, the surroundings are drenched red with blood.

Pip, pip, pip.

...with a single step, the surroundings are drenched red with—

"......."

"......."

A tiny living thing that, after toddling a few steps, plopped down and started licking its forepaw.

"...A kitten?"

Where the Guardian's egg had been, a white cat—no, a tiger—no larger than an adult's palm sat.

"You said a White Tiger?"

The Duke of Jevillan muttered, dazed.

Everyone present lost their words for a time and stared blankly at the new being.

Regardless of life or death, the first to speak was Hersel.

[You’ve finally awakened!]

He looked at the white cat with eyes brimming with feeling.

'Is this really a Guardian?'

Camilla eyed Hersel skeptically. After all that hell to get it, what we ended up with is that white cat?

[It's because it couldn't awaken for far too long. It is unusually small, but in time it will exercise its power—do not worry.]

Reading Camilla's expression, Hersel offered a simple explanation.

'If so, good.'

Camilla looked again at the white cat—no, the Guardian.

Just then, the Guardian, which had been wriggling nonstop, poked up its little head.

After glancing back and forth a moment between Duke Sorpel holding the pendant and Camilla, the Guardian toddled toward one place.

Toward Camilla.

"Hm?"

Lick.

"Ah...!"

Camilla flinched as the Guardian stretched its tiny body long and licked her hand, which happened to be close to the table.

'Hey, go away.'

Camilla couldn't bring herself to shove a small living thing outright, and drew her hand back a little at a time.

But the Guardian kept following her hand as she moved it.

"Uh... uh!"

In the end, as the Guardian was about to tumble off the table, Camilla quickly scooped it up in her hands. Then, with the Guardian in hand, she hastily set it down before Duke Sorpel.

[Meep?]

But after darting its eyes as if to take stock of Duke Sorpel and the others, the Guardian squeaked and started moving toward Camilla again.

"......"

I said don't come to me.

As the toddling Guardian came at her, Camilla looked troubled.

[That one likes you, too.]

Jeti, the Red Eagle Guardian, who had been watching everything, spoke as if amused.

'This isn't such a simple problem!'

A Guardian is the symbol of the head of house. It is not something others can have.

Camilla looked to Duke Sorpel with a stiffened face.

'Huh?'

But contrary to her worry, Duke Sorpel was smiling. His eyes, watching the Guardian circling Camilla, were full of affection.

[Of course. I’m just as pleased.]

Unlike Camilla, who found it strange, Hersel kept nodding as if he fully understood Duke Sorpel's feelings.

It had been well over a hundred years. Of all people, Hersel knew best how much humiliation a guardian house without a Guardian had endured.

And now, at last—at last—a Guardian had returned to House Sorpel!

[How could he not be glad.]

'Is that it?'

For the moment, is he simply glad that the Guardian has been found?

'Haa.'

Seeing Hersel's words and Duke Sorpel's expression, Camilla finally let out a long breath of relief.

Was it because the tension left her? It felt like the strength was just draining from her legs...

"Camilla!"

So it wasn't a feeling; it was really leaving me.

Seeing Ludville rush to steady her and Duke Sorpel's alarmed face, Camilla, for the second time today, let go of consciousness.

Chapter. Receiving the Reward

"My lady, medicine, medicine! You have to take this!"

Lower your voice. My head's ringing, Dorman.

[If I were alive, I'd at least make you something nourishing....]

I'll take the thought, Ferrol.

"Why isn't she waking up! Call for the other healers!"

Father, don't trouble the healers. It's just a bout of flu.

[Child, wake quickly. I have something to give you.]

Oh, whatever it is, that's a promise, Hersel.

[Miss Camilla....]

Don't cry, Derrin.

Sssrrp.

Ah, that's cool. This cold hand... Brother Ludville?

"Hey, I fixed the bracelet, so get up already. Or I'll smash it again."

Ravi, you little shit—listen to that mouth on you. Is that how you talk to your sick sister?

I remembered up to the point a white kitten popped out of the Guardian's egg, but after that it's hazy.

Maybe leaving my wet body unattended too long left me in worse shape than I thought. I felt a bit dizzy and collapsed in Father's study.

Tossing and groaning, half-awake, half-asleep, I heard so many voices.

Listening to the words of ghosts and people, how many days did I just lie there in bed?

"......"

When I came to again, it was in the dead of night.

Staring at the room sunk in deep darkness, Camilla couldn't move for a while.

Her whole body felt as heavy as wet cotton.

"Mm?"

Then, turning her head slightly, Camilla saw a lump of pure white fur curled up, sleeping on the bedside near her pillow.

Even in the thick darkness, it shed a faint light that announced its presence beyond doubt—a white ca... no, a white tiger cub.

...Why is this thing here?